Friday, 25 December 2015

Happy Holidays to Everyone! We are going to take a little break from the blogging world and immerse ourselves in all things holidays for a bit - hot chocolate, yummy comfort food, cookies, presents, movies and family time! We will be back in the new year with more exciting projects on the blog. So stay tuned and follow along on Instagram!

Wednesday, 23 December 2015

As you may have noticed from the last few months, we have been promoting handmade artisans who run their own shops independently or on Etsy. We decided to take this initiative one step further and have opened this new instagram account dedicated to finding and promoting handmade artisans. In a sense we are all a part of a larger community of entrepreneurs consisting of bloggers and artisans. Communities only work when we all do our part while helping each other in any way, big or small. In 2016 we really want to grow this platform and hope that you all will support us in supporting such talented individuals who often get overlooked or lost in a highly saturated market.

Monday, 21 December 2015

We are so excited to co-host the Winter Wonderland $800 Cash Giveaway! Two awesome readers will win $400 PayPal cash each! We really appreciate the support we get from our readers and love reading your lovely comments and emails. It is so great to connect to people all over the world. So with winter and the holidays in full swing - this would be a great way to end the year - the more entries you complete the higher the chances of you winning! Good luck!

This giveaway is open WW. The giveaway goes live on 12/20/15 and ends on 1/25/16The winners will be chosen usingrandom.organd will be notified via email no later than1/30/16. The winners have 48 hours to claim prize before it's forfeit and another winner is chosen. Entering the giveaway you must be 18 years or older. Void where prohibited.

Friday, 18 December 2015

Friday Finds is a series that Footnotes and Finds runs every friday where we share interesting, informative and fun finds/links from around the web. Follow along!
1. All India Bakchod is a satirical/comedy youtube channel from India that covers Indian issues. This video in particular sarcastically claims that "Rape: Its your fault" and features Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin. It may not suit everyones sense of humour so Im giving a warning right now, but it makes a point that is often lost in India and in the world even.

3. This creative infographic by Philipp Schmitt, Benedikt Groß and Raphael Reimann show all the roads that lead to Rome in Europe--Its actually quite pretty!

4. All India Bakchod also do these videos that take situations that Indians are in like Flights, Diwali, or even weddings and have the characters say honest things what they actually mean or are thinking and they are brilliant and hilarious! Watch this Honest Indian Wedding for a good laugh! (Make sure to press CC for subtitles in English).

From the Archives

Note: footnotes and finds is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click and make a purchase we make a tiny profit.

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

If you read this blog regularly enough you will know that we frequently post playlists (November playlist/ December playlist). Or If you know me, you will know that I am one of those people that obsessively has music on all the time. And I mean in the washroom while I shower, on the bus, while I cook, when I sit down to study, write or work, when I solo dance, while I host a party, or even when I lay on the ground in foetal position staring up to my ceiling in self-reflection. I have thread music and its cinematic and relatable quality seamlessly into my life.

While most times you cant just blast music out loud, it obviously cannot be done while you're on the bus or walking around town. I also have lived in a large family my whole life which means different tastes of music and different music playing times, for example, while I like listening to music when I study my sister Tript, who I run this blog with, doesn't.

So what do these moments need? A good set of headphones, ones that can function for all occasions and situations, ones that allows you to feel that the music is hugging you (is it just me who gets that feeling when I have my earphones on?) because every layer of music surrounds you. I have been looking for a good pair of in-ear headphones for quite sometime and was excited when the good people at Sudio contacted us.

They sent over their Sudio Vasa in-ear earbuds in white with rose gold detailing. The Sudio Vasa was named after King Gustaf Vasa who lead the War of Liberation against King Christian II of Denmark in the 16th Century...and if you know me you know I love anything with a bit of history behind it! They have a new driver which makes hearing every instrument beautifully better than my old pair! It came with 4 pairs of extra sleeves, a leather carry case, and a metal clip. What is really cool is that the brand was named Sudio after a Phil Collins song "Sussudio" after one of the founders ran into Phil Collins on the street in New York when he was having problems with his earphones.

I decided that I would test the new Sudio earbuds in the 3 situations I use headphones for most:

1. When I am studying or writing

2. When I am on the bus or public transportation

3. When I go for a run

The Sudio earbuds work amazingly in all three situations. It effectively drowns out the noise of the bus and the chatter of the bus-goers. They also helped me remain focused while writing where, like a movie, I felt like the spotlight was just on me and everything else faded away. They also stayed in my ears while running and the remote feature was especially helpful during the run or when I was on the bus because I didn't have to take my phone out to change the volume! Not to mention that they are beautifully designed. What works for me is that Sudio is a lifestyle brand which makes these classy and elegant looking earphones with studio quality for a third of the price.

Sudio has partnered up with us to provide the readers of footnotes and finds a 15% promo code! Use the code footnotesand when you make a purchase!

Disclosure: We received a free pair earphones from Sudio in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Ernest Hemingway wrote "there is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a type writer and bleed," and I agree. People are obsessed with quotes, think of pinterest boards filled with inspirational quotes or favourite literary quotes, or Etsy shops dedicated to taking these quotes and making them into works of arts or putting them on mugs or pillows or even that friend you have on facebook who is all about churning quote after quote as status updates.

While I think it has a lot to do with the attention span of people, I think it has more to do with nostalgia. Often times quotes are memories of a time when you read the larger piece of work and of the old feelings that the quote provokes. Other times its the fact that a writer, who is outside of you and whom you have never met, can express something so succinctly and perfectly that you yourself feel and could not articulate yourself or perhaps didn't even realize you were feeling. More often than not, quotes or excerpts are beacons of ideas, reminders and motivation for dreamers. Or they are analytical and critical exemplars of things we were unable to see or understand ourselves.

Sometimes they make complex things simple and other times they take a black and white issue into the grayscale. I think that I could perhaps write a whole essay on the psyche behind quotes for both writers and readers, but for this blog post I thought I would round up my favourite poetry and literary quotes.

Monday, 14 December 2015

With holiday mood in full swing and the end of the year approaching I thought I would take the time to list some of my favourite things (with the song from sound of music playing in my head), people that know me really well know that I have 4 things that are absolutely my favourite - in no particular order: food, books, bollywood movies and travelling!

so in no particular order, here are some more of my favourite things:

1. bollywood movies

2. chocolate chip cookies

3. gathering around in the family room with my sisters to watch our favourite tv shows

4. reading

5. yoga

6. chips

7. the pizza I had in naples

8. eating out

9. travelling

10. sweaters

11. scarves

12. learning

13. photography

14. warm hugs

15. hot chocolate

16. great in depth, heartfelt conversations

17. long summer days

18. chips, potatoes

19. music

10. freshly washed bedsheets

11. water

12. the way carpet feels underneath bare feet

13. Indian food

14. naps that make you feel refreshed and re-energized

15. sleep

16. watching pakistani tv shows - with prabh!

17. gelatos

18. Sriracha

19. punjabi Cha (tea)

20. water
21. playing board games like settlers of catan or lords of water deep
22. the fireplace channel on tv
23. fireworks

I'm pretty sure I can keep on going on with this list but maybe I will save some for a later blog post!

Friday, 11 December 2015

Friday Finds is a series that Footnotes and Finds runs every friday where we share interesting, informative and fun finds/links from around the web. Follow along!

1. Eman Mohammed is one of the few female journalists in the Gaza strip and she uses the platform of Ted talks to tell her incredible story of breaking cultural boundaries and working in a volatile area.

3. This video went viral this week, for good reason. It showcases women and girls sharing sexist comments that they have received throughout their life that men never have to hear. Im sure some of our female readers can relate.

4. As of recently White Privilege has become a pop-culture term and rightly so. But some people still find the concept hard to understand and believe. This video , starring SNL comedian Sasheer Zamata, explains privilege in a comedic but informative manner, making it one of the most must watch videos on the internet right now!

5. Everyone has different Christmas movie traditions. Growing up we watched Christopher the Christmas tree with my favourite character hooty the owl! This happened because it came on YTV every Christmas and it just became something we looked forward to every year. Its just a heartfelt underdog story that teaches patience and self-value.

From the Archives

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Unfortunately this trip wasn't nearly long enough for me to have a number of outfits lined up. I was there for 2 full days so I have shared those 2 outfits with you. the nice thing was this meant that I could pack lightly. Also because I went in spring the weather was unpredictable sometimes chilly and sometimes warm so I layered so I can remain warm or un-layer when the sun came out. It was definitely colder at night but warm enough to have gelatos and get a bit of a tan in!

Tuesday, 8 December 2015

I don't know about you guys but we are in full holiday gift shopping mode at our household. Along with shopping for the holidays we have 3 birthdays in December! Since we have a big family and lots of gifts to buy it's key to keep things on budget for us. I have curated great gifts that are all under $50! From a tea mug & strainer for your brother to a cute iPhone Case for your sister and a cool vintage industrial gold lamp cage for the home decor enthusiast! Know someone that loves to bake - the Cupcake Spatula is way too cute!

We were so excited by the success of last month's playlist and worked very hard for this month's playlist. This month's playlist features some old winter favourites like Johnny Cash covers by Brandon Flowers and the Local Natives from the film "Out Among the Stars," a must watch for all music fans. It also includes some new finds like Dua Lipa and Hana. Hana is opening for the North American tour for Purity Ring (who is also on this playlist) and but sadly, not Vancouver tour date has been announced as of yet!

Also on this playlist is Oceans by Val Yuri from her EP Katharsis. Her career trajectory has been impressive from re-branding herself from Ukrainian child star to well-seasoned and experimental sound designer. Her music page on soundcloud features a range of songs from jazz, jazz pop, electronic, power ballads, rock alternative, so do check it out to see if any of it suits your musical taste. Katharsis was created with a film script in mind which is what makes the journey through the tracks so edgy and emotional.

Katharsis is very interesting in that it is rock alternative meets electronic. A mixture of genres and blurring of sounds that is found on Val Yuri's track Oceans is also found in a few other artists on this playlist. for example, Lunice & The Jealous Guys " Bus Stop Jazz" is how I like my jazz served, with a side of hip-hop and lastly, Rhye which is often classified as R&B to my shock.

December music is usually reflective, patient, slow-moving, cinematic, and emotional for me. This year not even the wet-snow has started but the cold is still rough and the sun setting before 5pm tough. I hope this playlist helps you brave the winter, like it has for me!

Cant get enough of music? Check out last month's playlist: My November Playlist
Are you a musician? Contact us to be heard and for a partnering opportunity for next month's playlist!

disclosure: part of this blog post was sponsored, however, all opinions expressed are my own

Monday, 7 December 2015

I have always had long hair. It is a part of my identity, it makes me feel comfortable and it is how I felt I looked best. I always joked that I like consistency when it came to my hair (cut and length) because thats one thing I can choose to remain constant, everything else I have no control over. While I was always told by my friends to never cut my hair, I knew it was time for a change.

You see, every time I sat in the hair-stylist's chair I shrunk back to comfort. Never straying, never craving spontaneity and change. I should also mention that up until a few years ago when I found my current hair-stylist (who is the best hair-stylist in the world in my opinion) I was horrified every time I went in to get a hair cut. So, long story short, I always felt that keeping to what I knew was the safest route for me to take. But now that I trust my hair-stylist and feel comfortable with him, I felt like being experimental...also perhaps I was beginning to feel a little too old for my natural beach waves.

So I went for it. Cut off 7 inches that were donated. And I have to admit that I love it. Sure I have to wash it more often and sure there is the whole figuring out how to sleep with it (since I used to sleep with my hair in a braid...I absolutely hate sleeping with my hair down), but its fun, light and different. It also takes me a lot less time to wash my hair and to have it air dry--not to mention I use half the amount of shampoo/conditioner than I used to. Its given me confidence to go shorter next summer...thats if I dont fall in love with my long hair again by that time!

Friday, 4 December 2015

Friday Finds is a series that Footnotes and Finds runs every friday where we share interesting, informative and fun finds/links from around the web. Follow along!

1. These series of maps show how Americans speak english differently from state to state! It's crazy how different certain word pronunciations are. For example "see-rip" vs. "sir-rip" for syrup!

2. We all need one of THESE in our lives! (like ASAP!) - didn't know such a thing existed!

3. I think that its been very difficult, lately, to be able to see the individual in the singularly identified mass of refugees that has been created by the media and politics. It makes it hard for us to relate to these people leaving their homes in search for safety and a better life because we are somehow not perceiving them as individual humans with their own stories. This 6 hour long documentary titled HUMAN attempts to tackle this issue. Watch this 2 minute clip of Sally from from Syria talking about her heart-wrenching story about having to leave her home, friends and family.

Note: footnotes and finds is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click and make a purchase we make a tiny profit.

Wednesday, 2 December 2015

I wear glasses only while I'm driving or when I was a student and had difficulty seeing the board. I have had my old glasses for a while now and was thinking about buying new frames. That's why when Firmoo contacted us with the opportunity to review their product I was quick to sign up!

Ordering Process:

The ordering process is great. You can try on glasses by uploading an image of yourself on their site and can then place different frames on. This really helped me in the process of deciding. Ordering something like glasses frames online can be tough especially since you can't try them on, so it's great that Firmoo has this feature.

They also provided comprehensive design details and measurements of each frame. This also includes reviews from other customers of the frames with photos. There was a great selection as well, with many high quality and fashionable frames to choose from. They offer non-prescription and prescription glasses with anti-reflection and anti-UV coatings.

Once I chose my frame design it was as simple as plugging in my prescription numbers, mailing address and payment details. I received the glasses within a few days of ordering - it was really fast!

Glasses + Packaging:

I fell in love with my glasses from Firmoo and was really happy with the frames I had selected. It was great to finally upgrade to more trendy - hip frames. They came with a cute hard case, a cloth pouch, cleaning cloth and a keychain screwdriver to tighten the glasses. I was quite impressed with their packaging - especially for them to have included so much. And I loved the case! The quality of my glasses is good as well, although, probably not up to par with my old glasses which were designer, as these ones were at a much cheaper price point. But having said that, and given the price of these glasses they are real value for the money.

Footnotes and Finds is a lifestyle blog by Tript and Prabh, two sisters from Vancouver, B.C. Sisters by birth but best friends by choice, they spent all of their time together anyways and decided to turn their creative projects and conversations into a blog featuring fashion, travel, food, health, music and Bollywood.